DIY: 2013-2017 RA3/RA4 8.4" Radio Upgrade/HVAC Conversion

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

OP
OP
Mpgrimm2

Mpgrimm2

Senior Member
Preferred Vendor
Military
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Posts
6,085
Reaction score
4,168
Location
SC
Ram Year
2022 Ram 1500 (5th Gen)
Engine
5.7L
Recently there was an eBay seller with the NAV unlock code for $190. Map updates were $100. Look up Navi-expert-uk.

I was trying to remember who it was on eBay from the old thread, thanks.

M² Mods.
 

harmonam

Member
Military
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Posts
36
Reaction score
35
Location
Eastern North Carolina
Ram Year
2014
Engine
V-6
I have a RA3 that I converted last year, I have been having issues with it auto calling 911 but only in the mornings when I start it up. has anyone else had this issue? I have not done the factory restart because I have the Navigation added to my RA3 and am concerned that I would loose this if I factory reset.
 
OP
OP
Mpgrimm2

Mpgrimm2

Senior Member
Preferred Vendor
Military
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Posts
6,085
Reaction score
4,168
Location
SC
Ram Year
2022 Ram 1500 (5th Gen)
Engine
5.7L
I have a RA3 that I converted last year, I have been having issues with it auto calling 911 but only in the mornings when I start it up. has anyone else had this issue? I have not done the factory restart because I have the Navigation added to my RA3 and am concerned that I would loose this if I factory reset.
I believe @Ricks Ram and maybe @Dodgetk81 have done the nav activation before and may be able to comment on what happens with a reset.



M² Mods.
 

clifford15

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Posts
859
Reaction score
452
Ram Year
2015
Engine
CTD
I have a RA3 that I converted last year, I have been having issues with it auto calling 911 but only in the mornings when I start it up. has anyone else had this issue? I have not done the factory restart because I have the Navigation added to my RA3 and am concerned that I would loose this if I factory reset.

To be safe, make sure you have your activation code to get NAV back if it does get deleted. That sure is a weird problem.
 

kad

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Posts
2,781
Reaction score
2,291
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7L HEMI
Something I came across this past weekend. This is anecdotal at this point but...

I did the swap from an RA2 and the simple manual HAVC controls to a VP4 and the fancier MTC bezel with the separate HAVC module this past fall and I thought everything was working as it should. This past Friday I decided, just for the heck of it, to do the Blend Door Actuator Calibration routine using AlphaOBD. It executed and I heard the various blend doors move through thier range in the dash. Then, over several trips this weekend, I noticed that I was getting heat out of the system much sooner than I had been. The truck was running at the same temperature as it usually does and it was no warmer outside than it had been. So, something to keep in mind as possibly worthwhile if you have AlphaOBD when you're doing this upgrade.

-K
 
Last edited:

likes2build

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2018
Posts
1,222
Reaction score
1,151
Location
Mohawk Valley, NY
Ram Year
2018 Express RCSB
Engine
3.6 Pentastar
Something I came across this past weekend. This is anecdotal at this point but...

I did the swap from an RA2 and the simple manual HAVC controls to a VP4 and the fancier MTC bezel with the separate HAVC module this past fall and I thought everything was working as it should. This past Friday I decided, just for the heck of it, to do the Blend Door Actuator Calibration routine using AlphaOBD. It executed and I heard the various blend doors move through thier range in the dash. Then, over several trips this weekend, I noticed that I was getting heat out of the system much sooner than I had been. The truck was running at the same temperature as it usually does and it was no warmer outside than it had been. So, something to keep in mind as possibly worthwhile if you have AlphaOBD when you're doing this upgrade.

-K

I'm always looking for better HVAC performance but can't seem to find the calibration routine. Help please?
 

likes2build

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2018
Posts
1,222
Reaction score
1,151
Location
Mohawk Valley, NY
Ram Year
2018 Express RCSB
Engine
3.6 Pentastar
Screenshot_20190212-103219_AlfaOBD.jpg

Ok so I ran my test and got a failed message on actuator #2. What do I need to do / where to look to correct it. My truck is a 2018 that had a RA1 and was converted to a UAQ using both a M2Mods fan and ATC harnesses and a dual zone bezel and running it with Alfa enabled single zone ATC.
 

kad

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Posts
2,781
Reaction score
2,291
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7L HEMI
dual zone bezel and running it with Alfa enabled single zone ATC.

I'm not certain, but this might be the cause of the errors. I'm not sure it's actually a problem though. You don't have a right side Temp Sensor, correct? If it's not there, it won't pass, but because the bezel is a dual zone, it thinks that it should be there and tries to test it.

I just checked the HVAC log in Alpha and while it logged the sysem status check I did, it did not log anything for the actuator test itself. I am fairly certain that the Actuator 2 (Right Temp) test said "N/A" or something similar in my results.

We're currently having a lovely sleet/freezing rain event and my truck lives outside or I'd go run it again and screenshot the results but I'm pretty certain I'm remembering them correctly.

I think the important part of the calibration, for our purposes, is the three blend doors and those passed. Have you taken it for a trip since you did the routine to see if things are improved?

Edit: I just noticed that you're in Albany and are therefore most likely having the same lovely weather we are in Poughkeepsie. Never mind the trip suggestion right now!

-K
 

likes2build

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2018
Posts
1,222
Reaction score
1,151
Location
Mohawk Valley, NY
Ram Year
2018 Express RCSB
Engine
3.6 Pentastar
@kad Thank you. I'm not having any problems and just wanted to see the calibration results and get some input on the failed report. I might just reset it to MTC, let it sleep and set it to dual zone ATC and take a calibration test again and then back to single zone ATC just to see what it reads.
Thank goodness I'm not in NY right now cuz I know it sucks for you, I just got off the phone with my friend outside of Carlisle and he said he has 3/4" of ice plus the snow!!!!!!

Be safe my friend
 

clifford15

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Posts
859
Reaction score
452
Ram Year
2015
Engine
CTD
I ran the actuator calibration on mine and also got the right actuator failed. I wonder if the single zone ATC did not fully program.
 
OP
OP
Mpgrimm2

Mpgrimm2

Senior Member
Preferred Vendor
Military
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Posts
6,085
Reaction score
4,168
Location
SC
Ram Year
2022 Ram 1500 (5th Gen)
Engine
5.7L
I ran the actuator calibration on mine and also got the right actuator failed. I wonder if the single zone ATC did not fully program.
Right temp and one of the passenger blend doors will fail because they don't exist in the plenum/wiring of Single Zone ATC converted trucks.
Remember this is a mode not offered officially on any RAM, kind of like an Easter Egg in a software program.

M² Mods.
 

likes2build

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2018
Posts
1,222
Reaction score
1,151
Location
Mohawk Valley, NY
Ram Year
2018 Express RCSB
Engine
3.6 Pentastar
Right temp and one of the passenger blend doors will fail because they don't exist in the plenum/wiring of Single Zone ATC converted trucks.
Remember this is a mode not offered officially on any RAM, kind of like an Easter Egg in a software program.

M² Mods.


Good to know, thanks @Mpgrimm2
 

clifford15

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Posts
859
Reaction score
452
Ram Year
2015
Engine
CTD
Lowered the temp all the way to LO and the dash vents started working. Raised it back to 73 and they still worked. Switching modes (not auto) worked. Go figure.
I put it back to AUTO and left it there. At least I know the secret handshake now.
 
OP
OP
Mpgrimm2

Mpgrimm2

Senior Member
Preferred Vendor
Military
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Posts
6,085
Reaction score
4,168
Location
SC
Ram Year
2022 Ram 1500 (5th Gen)
Engine
5.7L
Arrggh. My brain hurts.
Re-created posts 1-12 and 15 with updated pictures/links.

Still have post 13,14 and some missing posts from much later in the thread to recreate if I can find the info.

Pass the word and lets get all the familiar faces back over to the thread to help others with questions and so everyone can find this again.
 

blemley2

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Posts
6
Reaction score
1
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.7
Lowered the temp all the way to LO and the dash vents started working. Raised it back to 73 and they still worked. Switching modes (not auto) worked. Go figure.
I put it back to AUTO and left it there. At least I know the secret handshake now.

Having the same issue either front or defrost wont work. Lowered to "lo" and they work as they should, at that time.

2018 3500 truck, 2014 8.4n with atc. I've tried an 18 module and now on a 14 module. Weird thing is the identical set up worked in my 2018 2500 truck with the 18 hvac module.

Switched mtc/dual atc/single atc multiple times, no change, if I interrupt the calibration process the front vents will work but no defrost, otherwise I have no front vents and have defrost. What a headache.
 

clifford15

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Posts
859
Reaction score
452
Ram Year
2015
Engine
CTD
Having the same issue either front or defrost wont work. Lowered to "lo" and they work as they should, at that time.

2018 3500 truck, 2014 8.4n with atc. I've tried an 18 module and now on a 14 module. Weird thing is the identical set up worked in my 2018 2500 truck with the 18 hvac module.

Switched mtc/dual atc/single atc multiple times, no change, if I interrupt the calibration process the front vents will work but no defrost, otherwise I have no front vents and have defrost. What a headache.

I reverted to MTC for now. Too cold to be messing around with it.
 

Dave-NJ

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Posts
5
Reaction score
4
Location
New Jersey
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7 hemi
Good evening
Just want to post my sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this forum with information on how to do the RA2 to RA4 upgrade
Special thanks go to Mr Grimm at M2 Mods for the conversion harness of incredible quality and a very reasonable price
Now to the next update of my truck ( Don’t tell the wife)
Dave
 

kad

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Posts
2,781
Reaction score
2,291
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7L HEMI
Interesting issue just brought to my attention. The HVAC module (68268186AA) has shot up in price. It's now up to $460. (I paid $134 brand new in Oct '18). Makes this a much pricier upgrade unless you can find a salvage yard part.

-K
 
Top